DAY 38: Special prayer request

I have two stories to share today, both about the results of praying in front of an abortion center during the 40 Days for Life campaign. But first — a special prayer request.

—————————————————— LONDON, ENGLAND ——————————————————

The London 40 Days for Life team will pray tonight outside the BPAS abortion facility. BPAS is the British equivalent of Planned Parenthood … and they are NOT happy about 40 Days for Life!

Bishop Alan Hopes and other clergy will lead an hour of prayer for an increased respect for life in the UK.

It is certainly needed …

… several facilities are under investigation for doing illegal sex-selection abortions, and abortion providers have just been granted permission to advertise on television.

But vigil participants will not be alone. Pro-abortion forces plan a "noisy" counter-demonstration.

Since 40 Days for Life began, BPAS has been rallying the media and others to attack the London campaign at an unprecedented level. One BPAS spokesman even told the media there was "no moral justification" for Bishop Hopes to get involved!

A pro-abortion advocate said, "Their protest (meaning 40 Days for Life) should be banned."

The good news, of course, is that this shows the campaign is working!

PLEASE keep the London campaign in your prayers, especially during this event. The vigil (and the counter-protest) begins at 7 pm London time. That's 2 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific in North America.

40 Days for Life's national director, David Bereit, and I visited England just before the start of the campaign and met a dedicated group of prayerful volunteers. Have you seen the video of that visit? You can watch it by going to:

Andrew, the coordinator of the 40 Days for Life campaign in Germantown, writes of women who have decided against abortion — including one who found out it would be a two-day procedure. "She left and did not come back," he said.

Infamous abortionist Leroy Carhart travels to Germantown every week to perform late-term abortions. But there have been two weeks during this campaign that Carhart never arrived — meaning no abortions for those weeks.

"God is continuing to answer our prayers," Andrew said. "We are making a difference. Germantown is continuing to take notice of our constant presence. Please come out and pray."

For a picture of a candlelight vigil at the Germantown site, please go to:

Mary said she was about halfway through her prayer time at the 40 Days for Life vigil in Sterling Heights when a small car pulled up and parked. A young woman got out and asked Mary if she knew Sue.

The woman explained that three years ago, she had met Sue, who was praying in about that same spot.

The young woman had come for an abortion. She was pregnant and she was about to be evicted from her home. Quite simply, she didn't know what to do. After talking to Sue, however, "I had my baby — my son. Come see! He's in the car."

"I met her beautiful, boisterous, all-boy, 3-year-old!" Mary said. The young mom's life is back on track. "She said she's doing well now, has her own place, and the boy's dad is active in his son's life."

Mary said this woman just wanted to tell everyone how important this work and your prayers have been.

"Praise the Lord!" Mary said. "He always knows when I'm getting a bit discouraged. I always read the stories on the national 40 Days for Life site and think, 'WOW!' Well, today I had my WOW moment."

Today's devotional is from Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life.

—————————————————— DAY 38 INTENTION ——————————————————

Pray that we become vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement.

—————————————————— SCRIPTURE ——————————————————

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!"

— Luke 24:1-5

—————————————————— REFLECTION by Fr. Frank Pavone, Priests for Life ——————————————————

This meditation, based on a sermon I once heard, is adapted for pro-life concerns.

It's Friday. Jesus is on the cross. He has been killed by his enemies; he is off the scene.

But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

It's Friday. Abortionists continue their work 3,300 times a day, tearing off the arms and legs of little babies and crushing their heads.

But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

It's Friday. Pro-abortion groups receive blood money from billionaires who are as deceived as they are.

But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

It's Friday. Liars attempt to speak for all women and hide the pain of abortion, and ignore the evidence of how it harms women, and call abortion a blessing.

But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

It's Friday. People of hardened hearts guard the clinics and usher desperate women in to have their abortions, while keeping them from the pro-life people who want to give them hope.

But that's because it's Friday. Sunday's comin'!

Hope does not mean that we ignore or minimize the evils around us. It means, rather, that we see the whole picture, which is that evil is conquered because of what happened one Sunday morning.

We are called to proclaim, celebrate, and serve that victory, waiting in joyful hope for Christ's return and the full flowering of the Culture of Life!

Indeed, Sunday's comin'!

—————————————————— PRAYER ——————————————————

Lord, fill your people with new hope. Make us vessels of hope to all around us, especially to those who minister in the pro-life movement, that as we engage in the difficult work ahead, we may experience the peace and joy that come only from you and that nobody can take away from us. We ask this through Christ our Lord, Amen.

—————————————————— PRINTABLE DEVOTIONAL ——————————————————

To download today's devotional as a formatted, printable PDF to share with friends:

PLEASE DONATE TO KEEP THIS BLOG OPERATING. GOD BLESS+ YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY DAILY PRAYERS! Marianne, my wife, suffered a heart attack on March 13th, 2012. On 7/23/2013, she suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for over 3 weeks. On 8/9/2013, Marianne went to the Lord. Deacon John

I'm Deacon John, age 78, ordained 4/25/87 as a Permanent Deacon for the Diocese of Brooklyn.

PSALM 127: 3-4

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward."

It turns out that halting the immoral and illegal practice of selling fetal body parts for profit is a bipartisan issue. The Planned Parenthood videos that have revealed top doctors negotiating the selling of aborted babies’ organs have shaken Americans to their core.

We had the great privilege today of welcoming back to my parish Brooklyn’s newly ordained Bishop James Massa. Bishop Massa began his priesthood at our parish 29 years ago; it was his first parochial assignment after ordination, and he was chiefly responsible for introducing something new and different to the parish—RCIA—and was remembered by many longtime pa […]

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a letter of greeting and encouragement to participants of an Interuniversity Congress on Saint Theresa of Avila. The letter, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on behalf of the Holy Father, expresses gratitude to the Academic world for highlighting the relevance of Saint Theresa’s teachings.

Vatican City, Aug 2, 2015 / 10:59 am (EWTN News/CNA).- Delivering his weekly Angelus address in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, Pope Francis said that while everyone feels shame before going to Confession, this grace helps us to be open to God's forgiveness.

Vatican City, Aug 2, 2015 / 09:59 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Delivering his weekly Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Francis said that while everyone feels shame before going to Confession, this grace helps us to be open to God’s forgiveness.

At a July 29 hearing conducted by the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts (video and testimony at hearing), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) had a lengthy exchange with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen over whether the IRS would revoke the tax-exempt status of Christian colleges and universities tha […]

Music, Mass, food and fun were all part of a special day to celebrate the culture of Latino Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Follow My Blog Posts

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,674 other followers

Psalm 93 [Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition]

1 The Lord is the God to whom revenge belongeth: the God of revenge hath acted freely.
2 Lift up thyself, thou that judgest the earth: render a reward to the proud.
3 How long shall sinners, O Lord: how long shall sinners glory?
4 Shall they utter, and speak iniquity: shall all speak who work injustice?
5 Thy people, O Lord, they have brought low: and they have afflicted thy inheritance.
6 They have slain the widow and the stranger: and they have murdered the fatherless.
7 And they have said: The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob understand.
8 Understand, ye senseless among the people: and, you fools, be wise at last.
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that formed the eye, doth he not consider?
10 He that chastiseth nations, shall he not rebuke: he that teacheth man knowledge?
11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men, that they are vain.
12 Blessed is the man whom thou shalt instruct, O Lord: and shalt teach him out of thy law.
13 That thou mayst give him rest from the evil days: till a pit be dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not cast off his people: neither will he forsake his own inheritance.
15 Until justice be turned into judgment: and they that are near it are all the upright in heart.
16 Who shall rise up for me against the evildoers? or who shall stand with me against the workers of iniquity?
17 Unless the Lord had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in hell.
18 If I said: My foot is moved: thy mercy, O Lord, assisted me.
19 According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul.
20 Doth the seat of iniquity stick to thee, who framest labour in commandment?
21 They will hunt after the soul of the just, and will condemn innocent blood.
22 But the Lord is my refuge: and my God the help of my hope.
23 And he will render them their iniquity: and in their malice he will destroy them: the Lord our God will destroy them.